Liverpool are reportedly interested in £70m centre-back and he could be their Joel Matip heir

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Liverpool’s pursuit of a centre-back is unlikely to accelerate in the January transfer window. The club is expected to wait until the summer in order to fortify an important position.

Even with the emergence of Jarell Quansah this season – there is room for Jurgen Klopp to further bolster his options. Realistically, Liverpool would like to add at least one more centre-back to Klopp’s options ahead of next season.

That’s primarily down to the fact that Joel Matip’s contract is expiring at the end of the season and that Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger either – he’s set to turn 33-years-old this year.

Ideally, as Liverpool overhauled the midfield last the summer – now the Reds will want to do something similar (albeit on a smaller scale) to the defence in the upcoming summer window.

Ousmane Diomande to Liverpool?

According to a report in the Daily Mail – Liverpool ‘like’ Ousmane Diomande of Sporting CB who has caught the eye with some top performances this season. Only 20-years-old, Diomande fits the profile of what Liverpool is looking for and has a £70m release clause.

Diomande is the kind of centre-back who is difficult to beat. As per Wyscout, this season, he averages the third best defensive duels success rate among centre-backs in Liga NOS – winning 75% of his 5.15 defensive duels per 90. He also has the fourth best aerial duels success rate among centre-backs winning 62.5%. Meanwhile, he also averages 10.18 recoveries per 90.

Those are impressive defensive numbers but why he suits Liverpool’s profile even more is because of his ability on the ball.

Diomande has averaged the second most passes (61.68 per 90) in the Portuguese league among centre-backs and has the best passing accuracy (92.94%) out of centre-backs who have attempted at least 50 passes per 90. He also makes the fifth most forward passes (20.23 per 90).

What is very Matip esque about him is that he loves to run forward with the ball. Among centre-backs in the league, Diomande averages the second most dribbles (1.1 per 90) and the fourth most progressive runs (1.1 per 90).

At 20-years-old he’s got the making of a world-class centre-back and he comes from a place that has a history of producing elite talent over the last decade or so and even beyond.

His profile simply ticks a lot of boxes for Liverpool, and based on what he has showed so far this season – Diomande could be an excellent heir to Matip’s throne in the summer and the type of player who makes perfect sense to bring to Anfield.